


Gifts

by starsystems



Series: summerpornathon 2011 [1]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Community: summerpornathon, Gen, Wordcount: 1.000-3.000
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-07-13
Updated: 2011-07-13
Packaged: 2017-10-23 02:59:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,362
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/245546
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/starsystems/pseuds/starsystems
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"You can't tell Gwen that you'll fetch even the stars from the sky for her if I'm the one doing all the work."</p>
            </blockquote>





	Gifts

**Author's Note:**

> Written for a summerpornathon 2011 bonus challenge.

"Merlin, what the hell are you doing here?" Arthur asked, surprised, when he finally got to the top of the eastern tower and found his sorcerer standing there, staring up at the sky. "It's colder than witch’s tits out here." He wrapped his cloak tighter around himself and went to stand next to Merlin.

"Shut up, Arthur," Merlin said amicably. "It's the winter solstice. If you ever paid any attention to the things I say, you'd know how important it is to the druids, how magical it is."

"Yes, yes. But why are you freezing yourself out here for it?"

"...For fun?" Merlin said. Arthur knew he was lying, but the last few years had taught him a (small) measure of patience when it came to Merlin. He would tell him when he was ready so he let Merlin side track him with: "What are _you_ doing out here?"

Arthur sighed and joined Merlin in staring at the sky. "I have been married for three years now," he said. "Can you imagine that? Three years already."

"It's remarkable how Gwen hasn't yet assassinated you and claimed the throne as her own," Merlin said.

"Shut up, Merlin," Arthur said and nudged his friend with his shoulder. "I am trying to come up with a present for her. I thought maybe gazing upon my mighty kingdom would provide an answer."

Merlin snorted. "Have you thought about a new gown? Or some jewelry?"

"The first year I gave her a gown and the second year some jewelry. I don't like to repeat myself. Besides, she already has enough gowns and jewelry. I want to give her something special."

"To my experience, girls can never have too many gowns or jewelry, but all right," Merlin said. "Why do you think I could help?"

"You're her best friend. You have to know what she likes."

"Well, you are her _husband_ and if after three years you don't know that, I think you deserve to be kicked down those stairs," Merlin said. "You'll think of something... Or you might try asking someone who actually knows what they are talking about. Like Leon. He has more than enough admirers."

"Apparently Leon doesn't really give presents," Arthur said morosely. "He _gets_ them."

"You already asked him."

"Well, _of course_ I already asked him. I've asked everybody. Even Gwaine, who suggested something that I can't repeat in polite company."

"And I'm polite company nowadays?" Merlin laughed. "Also, good to know that my advice is the last thing you come for."

"Well, you _are_ hopeless with women."

They stared at the sky some more.

"It really is freezing out here," Arthur said.

"Shut u-- Ah!" Merlin said, cutting himself short when he saw something in the sky. "There it is!"

Arthur watched how something glimmering fell down from the sky, flew over the castle and seemed to land somewhere in the forest. "What was that?" he asked.

"A star stone," Merlin said. "Also, the answer to your problem. Get us horses so we can go and fetch it."

"In the middle of the night? When it's this cold?"

"Yes," Merlin said, sounding annoyed. "Now do as I tell you and hurry up!"

Arthur pointed at himself. "Look at me." Then he pointed at his head. "Look at my crown. Do you still remember who's the king around here?"

Merlin rolled his eyes and pushed Arthur towards the stairs.

"Kings are the ones who give the orders!" Arthur protested but let himself to be pushed forward.

x

They got their horses and Arthur made sure they were both wrapped in enough furs to withstand the weather. Merlin led them out of the castle gates and into the forest. The thick coat of snow made the sounds of their passing muffled. The forest was quiet.

Merlin whispered a word and a ball of blue light appeared above their heads, illuminating their way. Merlin's light spell was secretly Arthur's favourite spell. It was very pretty and Arthur had fond memories of it.

"How are you going to find the stone?" Arthur asked, secretly hoping for some flashy spell.

"By looking for it," Merlin said. "We'll know when we're close."

"Can't you do some kind of spell so we can find it faster?" Arthur asked.

"Nope!" came Merlin's cheery answer. "You can pretend that we're out hunting if you get bored."

"You are the worst sorcerer in the world," Arthur said. "Why did I even need to come with you?"

"I didn't fancy the idea of trudging through all this snow by myself," Merlin said.

"Oh for the love of!" Arthur wanted to throw something at Merlin's head, but he couldn't grab anything more substantial than a pine cone. "I can still put you in the stocks, you know."

"AND," Merlin continued. "You can't tell Gwen that you'll fetch even the stars from the sky for her if I'm the one doing all the work."

"What?" Arthur asked, derailed from his earlier annoyance. "What are you saying?"

"Just wait," Merlin said. "You'll see."

Arthur rather thought his meagre pool of patience for Merlin was already drying out.

x

Arthur was the one who first noticed the silver light pulsing between the trees. "Merlin!" he hissed. "There!"

"I see it," Merlin muttered, keeping his voice low. "Come on."

Arthur wasn't sure why they were whispering or why they left their horses and crept towards the light so cautiously, but this was more Merlin's area so he did what Merlin did. Maybe stones from the sky were dangerous. He put his hand on the hilt of his sword, itching to draw it out, but Merlin shot him a look that stilled his hand.

When Merlin had said "star stone" it had conjured images of burning rock in Arthur's mind. He had been expecting something powerful and violent. Maybe flames.

But this. This wasn't like that. This was _beautiful_.

The stone was about the size of both of his fists pressed together. It looked like polished silver but... but ten times brighter. The light went out from it in sharp spikes, pulsing like it had a heartbeat.

Also, the stone was hovering over the snow.

Merlin was whispering to it. Arthur couldn't hear the words, and maybe Merlin was using the strange language of his spells so Arthur couldn't have understood him even if he had heard. It sounded a little like Merlin was whispering soothing words to a child, though.

The pulsing of the light quickened when Merlin approached the stone, and then, gradually, slowed back down. The light dimmed a little and Merlin held out his hands, put them around the stone, close but not touching. Then he bowed his head and said something to the stone like he was whispering into an ear, his lips close to the light.

The light flashed pink and then died.

Merlin straightened up and grinned at Arthur, his hands wrapped around the stone. It had shrunk enough to fit inside Merlin's palms. Arthur could still see faint silver light coming from between Merlin's fingers.

Arthur swallowed. "You are crying," he said, stubbornly keeping his voice from shaking. He felt like crying too, and he didn't even know why. He took a hesitant step towards Merlin, wanting to do something, to say something to dissolve the strange sadness from around them.

"Star stones always have a story," Merlin said and sniffed. "This was a sad one."

"What was it about?" Arthur asked.

"Love," Merlin said. He opened his palms and let Arthur look at the stone. It was now see-through, like glass, and there was small silver light burning inside it. Like a star plugged straight out of the sky.

"She will love it," Arthur said and wrapped his hands over Merlin's, just for a second. "She will love it because we will tell a stupid story about the two of us running around a dark forest in winter, trying to find a gift for her. And then I will tell her that you _cried_ and she will tease you about it every time she wears this stone and it will be hilarious."

"Shut up, Arthur," Merlin said. "Let's go home."


End file.
